In Search of Metates!

 Hello Family and Friends,

In case the title of this post befuddles you, it is phonetically pronounced ....   

[muh-tah-teez; Spanish me-tah-tes] -- I just call them grinding stones.  We headed out with Sue and Ernie to look for Metates.  We headed towards Congress and then toward Indian Rock -- where there are Metates.

We had really beautiful scenery with high cliffs and lots of up and down trails!

This one Darrel called the bathing hole -- he thinks they used this big hole to capture rain water for bathing purposes???

Sue is checking out the markings of a traveler leaving a date stamps on the rock.

Here's the Metates!

And more

a close shot

Some one decided to stack rocks and you will see these from time to time where people have stopped to visit and leave a marker for future visitors.

We had a much warmer day and less wind which helps with the desert dust.  We traveled back towards Congress to finish our day.  It was a great trip and I now can look for more Metates as we travel the rock formations.

Sending blessings from the Road,

Susan & Darrel

Happy Reading -- until the next time!

Black Canyon Petroglyphs and Date Creek Fort

 Hello Family & Friends,

We journeyed once again in the UTVs to Black Canyon to see the Petroglyphs and stop by Date Creek Fort on the ride home.  It was a windy day but we had nice sunshine.  Packed our lunch for this trip and headed out from the back gate, which is nice that we don't have to trailer the UTV.

We journeyed quite a ways into the canyon, and as you traveled off the open pasture area, you found yourself in this canyon with lots of rocky crags.  You had to look for the petroglyphs along both sides of the canyon.

The picture on the right shows rocks with deposits of either shells or quartz embedded in it.

To the left is the petroglyphs

Lots of them high and low, you had to look very carefully to see them as some are getting faint from weather wear.

Darrel is poking around in the crag, looking closer at them.

The one of the right was an entire wall of rock, made you think it was like a calendar with all the markings.

We came back out of the canyon and lunched at our parking spot -- the wind was whippy that day -- I loved seeing the while clouds popping up over the horizon.

Onwards to Date Creek Fort -- we had been there once with Bob but it was a colder, windier day so we didn't linger.  It was nice to poke around a little.

Here I am sitting on the remaining foundation of one building on the fort site.

We headed back along the railroad tracks and through Congress to head home.  It was an enjoyable day but you can see we were bundled up!

Sending blessings from the Road,

Susan and Darrel

PS -- Keep on reading, post 3 is about the Metate (or grinding stones/holes)

First Part of February

 Hello Family & Friends,

It is with a sad heart that I write that sister-in-law, Johnette Pendergast (Johnny), passed away on February 1st.  We thank you for your prayers and love you sent in her final days at home with family.  We miss her and keep good memories of last year when she and Mike visited us in Arizona. We know that she is playing with the Angels....

So our February started a little shaky and with sad hearts .... we have gotten busy again with a few trips to a place called Hole in the Wall Waterfall.  It was a brisk day, but plenty of sunshine.  We were headed to a place for lunch near Alamo Lake -- more of the restaurant later --- we traveled quite a ways to a place call the hole in the wall -- and when we have water in Arizona there is an amazing waterfall -- and actually a pond area -- here's a few pics of the site:

Here's the hole in the wall and we climbed up to get to the waterfall -- such beautiful scenery as you can see from the pictures below.

Darrel worries about these rocks falling down, and maybe I should too!  Look at the rubble below the rock in the left picture.  I just don't think about it too much!

Here's where the waterfall would be if we had water to fall --- I guess it is an amazing site to see!

Here's the pond area on the left -- mostly a sand pit!  Darrel is picking his way back down the rocks, carefully!

Susan in front of the hole in the wall

We journeyed on to lunch spot called Wayside Oasis RV Park and Bar & Grill -- absolutely wonderful food -- I had a delicious hamburger and Darrel had the open face roast beef special.  Our group was larger about 16 people -- we traveled back along the primitive road.

We really enjoyed the ride and seeing the Hole in the Wall -- so many places to explore and marvels to see.

Sending blessings from the road,

Susan & Darrel

PS  Stay tuned for a couple more posts -- I am catching up as Darrel is in PT for his hip and I have Internet in Wickenburg!